re: How good is Lelito?

I think Lelito will be a good one. He's physically talented and spent last year really learning the position. DLP was a journeyman that was adequate under great coaching (Kromer) and awful without him. I think DLP simply doesn't have the talent to play center, and got overwhelmed without have a great technician there in charge.

As much as people want to complain about Kreutz, the OL gelled in 2012 once Kromer went back to focusing on OL and Vitt took over HC duties. That wasn't a coincidence.

That said, Lelilto has all the physical tools and his first start overshadows the good things he did, but he was green and never got legit time against good competition in the preseason.

I think bringing in Goodwin as a safety net and mentor is the best idea and let them fight it out through training camp. Goodwin knows the system and there is a reason our run game was a significantly better in 2009 and Goodwin was a huge part of that. Sometimes Age and savvy are more important than youth and athleticism.

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isn't his pass blocking the concern?

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Not really a concern. He's more of a power run blocker like Faine was for us. Both of those guys can pass block though.

The problem with DLP was that he was a pass blocking center(and just a decent one) and was weak at the point of attack in run blocking.

Also, with our two guards' strength being pass blocking, we really need a powerful, driving center in the middle to get us back to having a great running game. Goodwin could fill that role for a year if need be, but Lelito is also a power run blocker so the hope is he, or maybe even his teammate, wins the job long term.

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I always think of Bushrod with these kinda guys. He was a 4th Rd pick. I dunno if he even had any snaps outside of special teams his first two years. Then year 3 he is the left tackle starter with no significant Plan B on the roster at all.

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That's not how it happened at all with Bushrod.

He played in 3 games in his first 2 seasons and then was thrust into the starting lineup when Jammal Brown went down for the year. HE was the backup plan.

Strief took a similar path as Bushrod, playing many games in 5 prior years with a few starts(7) before taking over due to injuries to Stinchcomb. He actually started the 2 games in 2009 when Bushrod was out.

Nicks was 1st round talent taken late due to character issues.

Evans was a surprise gem(I think they had hope, but if they knew he was THAT good he would have went before the 4th).

Goodwin started in 2 games when Faine was injured the year before he left, but he also started 13 games for the Jets before coming here.

Charlie Brown started 8 games in 2 prior years before becoming the full time starter.

Tennant was close the first time we would have gone in with someone about as green(a little greener) as Lelito without another option. But then we signed Kreutz right before the preseason.

This is literally the first time(unless Goodwin or another vet is signed) that we are going into the season with someone this green as our likely starter on the Oline and no vet option. It's not impossible for him to do it, but to compare him to any other situation on the Oline outside of Tennant is stretching the truth. Only upside over Tennant is that he has 2 starts but that was at guard.

NONSENSE. You can count all the picks you want, but if you think turning Carl Nicks, Zach Strief, Jahri Evans, Terron Armstead and Jermon Bushrod ( none of whom anyone with half a brain would call heralded) into top notch starting Olinemen counts for nothing, you don't have a single opinion I'm interested in hearing.

The smack down, he laid it

Did you even read what I was responding too? I swear people here fly off the handle without actually understanding what the frick they are reading.

Some guy said we hit on most off our Oline picks and UDFAs. I simply pointed out that that's untrue and a common misperception because of our 2006-2008 run. Also the only UDFA Olineman we've hit on is Lelito so it isn't like we have a track record there.

I gave full props for the ones we hit on but to say we hit on most is just untrue.

You tell him guy.

Yeah it would have been nice to see him work his magic with the new blood.

I do have to say Armstead actually had 4 starts. Those playoff games were games like in the regular season (even amplified) so they matter just the same. And he played very well in those games which helped cement his spot.

They obviously trust him as evidenced by not bringing in another LT and him being the only good LT on the squad. Strief can play it but Jones, Harris, and the rookie are all RTs. That means if Armstead goes down Strief will be out LT starter.

Yeah I remember that.

I still have high hopes for him, but it's concerning that there aren't any other options on the roster outside of his former teammate.

It reminds me of going in last year with Brown as the best option at LT, only I like Lelito's potential more. Having not seen him play much it's hard to say though.

I've RA'd you for abuse of the lol emoticon. You think it makes you seem fun and approachable, but you just come off as insane.

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He also put Goodwin in his only Pro Bowl in his 12 game career.

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I'd say going to a Pro Bowl after only a 12 game career is pretty damn good.